Louver device



March 14, 1961 A. D. GOETTL 2,974,581

- LouvER DEVICE Filed Feb. 24. 1959 INVE OR.

A ENT 2,974,581 LOUVER DEVICE atent Adam D. Goettl, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to McGraw- Edison Company, Elgin, 111., a corporation of Delaaware Filed Feb. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 795,190 4 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) This invention relates to a louver device and more particularly to a louver device wherein intersecting slats are pivotally connected together at their intersecting portionsto permit pivotal freedom of all of the intersecting slats of the louver device.

.Inthe construction of louver devices it may be desirable Io fabricate slats of sheet metal, plastic or other materials which may be formed either by stamping, shearing, molding or any other suitable method. 7

There has been a need for a means which will pivotally interconnect intersecting slats even though such slats may be molded of plastic, sheared of sheet metal orformed in some other method or fashion.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide .a louverjdevice having a means for pivotallyconnecting intersecting relatively pivotal slats which is useful in the interconnection of slats which may be sheared laterally injection molding process or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a louver device wherein a bearing clip is provided with one pair of fingers forming a substantially arcuate bearing having axis which 'is at right angles to an arcuate bearing formed by a second pair. of fingers of said bearing clip; the second pair of fingers extending generally in the opposite direction from an interconnecting portion at the middle of the clip whereby intersecting slats may be pivotally connected together at their intersecting location relative to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a louver device having a bearing clip which will efiiciently retain rectangular in cross section pivot portion of a slat and which will also accommodate arcuate in cross section pivot portion of a slat.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of one louver slat intersecting another louver slat at right angles and both slats pivotally interconnected by a bearing clip in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 22 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fiat blank from which the bearing clip of the present invention may be formed.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the bearing clip of the present invention on enlarged scale and;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of a modified slat of the present invention.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings slats and 12 of the present louver device intersect each other at substantially right angles. These slats are provided with intermeshing V-shaped notches at their intersections similar to the structure as disclosed in my Patent 2,821,899, issued February 4, 1958.

It will be understood that the slat structures 10 and 12 may employ such intermeshing notches or may be connected together in edge to edge relationship by a froma piece of material or which may be molded by an hearing the axis of which is 'drawings.

ice

2 bearing clip .14 as will be hereinafter described in detail. V

The slats 10 and 12 are formed of flat material such as sheet metal and the particular configuration of these slats .10 and 12 is compatible with the shearing thereof bya .die from fiat stock such as conventional sheet metal or other sheet material. Further, these slats may be formed of wood if desired. The slat 10 is provided with .a V-shaped notch 16 and a pivot portion 18 at the apex or edgeof the notch 16, the pivot portion '18 serving as a parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slat.

Adjacent thebearing 18 the slat 10' is provided with an opening 2ll'into which fingers 22 and 24-of the bearing clip may project when the slat 10 is pivoted within the limits .of .a notch 31 in the slat 12. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings the pivot portion 18 is square in cross section and .is disposed between the fingers 22. and 24. Further the fingers of the bearing clip 14 are curved to encompass the corners of the square in cross section pivot portion 18. A first pair of opposed spaced fingers 22 and 24 are formed of .a single piece of material which is spot welded to a second piece of material forming a pair of similar fingers 26 and 28 which encompass a square in cross section pivot portion 30 of the slat 12. The fingers 26 and 28 are disposed at right angles to the fingers 22 and 24 so that the pivotal axes of the pivot portion '18 and 30 are at right angles.

The slat 12 .is provided with an opening 32 adjacent the pivot portion 30 and this opening 32 is similar to the opening 20. It permits the passage of the fingers 26 and 28 through the slat 12 when it is pivoted within the angular'limits of the 'V-shaped notch 16 of the slat 10 as shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

The blank as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings is illustrated on enlarged scale and is constructed of a pair of flat sheet metal disposed at right angles to each other and arranged in a crossed relationship whereupon these parts are spot weldedtogether at 34 which is the middle of the intersection of the crossed strips of which the curved fingers 22, 2'4, 26 and 28 are subsequently formed into the finished bearing clip as shown in Fig. 4 of the It will be seen that the ends 23 and 25 of the fingers 22 and 24, respectively, are spaced apart a distance which is slightly less than the cross section of the pivot portion 18 while the ends 27 and 29 of the fingers 26 and 28, respectively, are spaced apart a distance which is slightly less than the breadth or lateral dimension of the pivot portion 30. Thus, the fingers must be spread slightly apart to receive and frictionally grip the pivot portions therebetween when the slats are assembled relative to each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the finished bearing clip as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings may be constructed by an injection molding process which permits the use of plastic and that the fingers 22, 24, 26 and 28 may be made integral with each other if desired.

In the modification as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings a slat 36 is similar to the slat 12 except that this slat 36 is of a form which may readily be cast in a plastic injection mold. This slat 36 is provided with a circular in cross section pivot portion 38 which is similar to the trunnion 30 of the slat 12. An opening 40 is formed in the slat 36 between the pivot portion 38 and the remaining portion of the slat blade. This opening 40 is provided with a curved side wall 42 which permits a separating operation of the halves of the die which may be designed to part along the center line of the slat.

When the bearing clip as shown in Fig. 4 is made to fit the pivot portion 38 it may intimately engage the armate surface thereof so that a frictional engagement of the fingers of the bearing clip on the pivot portion 38 tends to hold the slat 36 in an adjusted position.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the pivot portion 18 and 30 of the slats and 12, respectively, may be located on the straight edges of intersecting slats and that such structure does not require notches in the slats as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. In such structure the bearing clip 14 may be used pivotally to interconnect adjacent edges of angularly intersecting slats.

According to the foregoing paragraph, the notch portions of the slats12 and 16 may be cut away at planes A and B as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a louver device the combination of: a first slat; a second slat intersecting said first slat at an angle thereto; each of said slats having a pivot portion disposed on an axis longitudinally of the respective slat; each slat having an opening therethrough adjacent its respective pivot portion; and bearing means having first and second pairs of opposed spaced fingers; said pivot portions of said first slat engaged between said first pair of spaced fingers, said pivot portion of said second slat engaged between said second pair of spaced fingers, said first pair of spaced fingers extending in an opposite direction from said second pair of spaced fingers, said fingers of said first and second pairs movable into and out of said openings in said first and second slats adjacent their respective pivot portions when said slats are pivoted about the axes of said pivot portions.

2. In a louver device the combination of: a first slat; a second slat intersecting said first slat at an angle thereto; each of said slats having a pivot portion disposed on an axis longitudinally of the respective slat; each slat having an opening therethrough adjacent its respective pivot portion; and bearing means having first and second pairs of opposed spaced fingers; said pivot portions of said first slat engaged between said first pair of spacedfingers, said pivot portion of said second slat engaged between said second pair of spaced fingers, said first pair of spaced fingers extending in an opposite direction from said second pair of spaced fingers, said fingers of said first and second pairs movable into and out of said openings in said first and second slats adjacent their respective pivot portions when said slats are pivoted about the axes of said pivot portions, said first and second pairs of fingers partially surrounding said first and second pivot portions thereby pivotally connecting said first and second slats together.

3. In a louver device the combination of: a bearing means having first and second pairs of opposed spaced fingers, said first pair extending in an opposite direction from said second pair; first and second angularly intersecting slats having respective first and second pivot portions adjacent each other and disposed on axes parallel with the respective slats, said first pivot portion engaged between said first pair of fingers, said second pivot portion engaged between said second pair of fingers, said first and second slats having respective first and second openings extending therethrough adjacent said first and second pivot portions, said first and second pairs of fingers disposed to move into and out of said openings when said slats are pivoted about the axes of said first and second pivot portions.

4. In a louver device the combination of: a bearing means having first and second pairs of opposed spaced fingers, said first pair extending in an opposite direction from said second pair; first and second angularly intersecting slats having respective first and second pivot portions adjacent each other and disposed on axes parallel with the respective slats, said first pivot portion engaged between said first pair of fingers, said second pivot portion engaged between said second pair of fingers, said first and second slats having respective first and second openings extending therethrough adjacent said first and second pivot portions, said first and second pairs of fingers disposed to move into and out of said openings when said slats are pivoted about the axes of said first and second pivot portions, said first and second pairs of fingers being resilient and spaced more closely than the lateral dimensions of said first and second pivot portions whereby they are frictionally gripped and engaged by said first and second pairs of fingers respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,892,395 Goettl June 30, 1959 

